Using Different Tones In Writing

When you write for clients, often times they ask you to write in a certain tone that matches their overall image. They may ask you to be informal, formal, fun, optimistic, pessimistic, humorous, straightforward, or any other tones they require.

Varying your writing tone is going to be tough when you have multiple clients, each asking you to approach the topics differently. So, how do you do it?

Using Different Tones In Writing

Before you write, you need to ask the following questions:

Why am I writing this?

Who is my audience?

What do I want from my readers?

1. Why am I writing this?

Let’s pretend that your client asks you to write about air pollution and they want you to be optimistic in your writing. They’re trying to push their new line of air purifiers and your article should warm up the readers. Make them more willing to invest in air purifiers.

In your writing, use adjectives that signify optimism. Let your readers know that although air pollution is real, they don’t have to worry about it anymore.

2. Who is my audience?

Following the example above, let’s find out who your audience is. We can say the obvious ones are health-conscious people, parents who still have babies or little kids in the house, elderlies who are trying to keep their respiratory system healthy, and so on. These are the likely target market that your client has set their eyes upon.

How would you talk to these people optimistically?

You can try to use reassurance in your writing. Encourage them to keep a positive outlook on things and focus on the aspects that your readers can change.

3. What do I want from my readers?

For our example, the goal is clear – we want the readers to buy our products or at least make them aware that our solution exists. Show the readers that your client’s solution is the one thing that will give them the peace of mind they ever so deserve.

Show your readers what are the great things about the product your client is trying to sell them. For instance, how well does the air purifier do in filtering harmful particulates? Does the filter last long? Can you guarantee that the product won’t produce ozone that’s proven to be dangerous for humans and pets?

If there’s any drawback of the product, make sure you write more of the good vs. the bad. Overall, you’ll still be narrating in an optimistic tone.

“What if my client wants to me to be fun and humorous?”

That’s an easy one. Just search for jokes or funny stories matching the topic and incorporate them into the first paragraph of your writing. You don’t need to make them laugh. If you can make them smile a bit and more open to your ideas, you’re set.

“OK, and what if they ask me to be pessimistic?”

Still easy. Go find stats that dictate a bleak future for humanity due to deteriorating air quality and slap them on your readers’ face. Those kinds of stats are, sadly, so easy to find these days.

One more thing: When you set for an informal tone, you may need to slip in bad spelling or grammar here and there. That’s just part of the game. If you want to be formal, however, do yourself a favor and check your writing on online-spellcheck.com to avoid any unnecessary revision requests from your client.